“美文”传统与明清传奇叙事

The Tradition of“Good Writing”and the Narrative of Ming-Qing Marvel Tales

中国文人借各体文字显示其才情和学问、修养,这种追求"美文"的传统非常既深且久。明清传奇是中国古代戏曲中最见民族个性的一类,其写作无疑也处于这一传统之中。但传奇毕竟是一种叙事艺术,故"美文"传统与戏剧叙事必然形成一定的张力,这在传奇曲辞、宾白的写作中都有反映。曲辞写作主要表现为套曲的程式化、曲辞的案头化以及曲与人物的悖离,宾白写作则主要表现为人物定场诗词、人物定场骈文、出末收场诗以及赋、表、诏、笺、诔、策等各体韵文的插用。明清的传奇家们一方面试图成功地讲述故事,但他们也不会放过任何良机以表现其才学、修养,以便赢得当时人的认可和赞誉。在今人看来,"美文"传统或为传奇叙事不能承受之重,但如果还原至其所产生的文化语境,我们或能产生更多的理解和同情。

The pursuit of"good writing"is a long and profound tradition among Chinese literati,who demonstrate their talent,knowledge and accomplishment by writing various types of literary works. Among them,the unique Ming-Qing marvel tales as a kind of ancient Chinese drama mostly represent national characters. However,as the marvel tale is a narrative art,there must be certain tension between the "good writing"tradition and the drama narrative,which is reflected in both speeches and songs.Songs,often desktop-oriented,tend to be conventionalized and detached from or even in conflict with characters. Speeches are often used for characters’ opening and concluding poems,and other occasions with texts written in verse. Marvel tale writers try to tell stories successfully and show their talent and accomplishment in the meantime in order to win the recognition and praise of contemporary people. For the people of nowadays,the pursuit of"good writing"should have played a minor role in marvel tale narration,but if we put it into its original cultural context,we may have more understanding and appreciation of it.